Ladder tape



1 .1. RAsERo 2,590,889

LADDER TAPE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 April l, 1952 Filed Jan. `2s 195o 1L# AREA oF F133 l.. WI i,... n

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l J l L -TI T L J -April 1,1952 l.. J. RASERO 2,590,889

LADDER TAPE Filed Jan. 25, 1950 2 Simms-SHEET 2 u@ *bawa wb 147C M we 153mg Patented pr. l, 1952 LADDER. TAPE Lawrence J. Rasero, Middletown, Conn., assignor to The Russell Manufacturing Company, Middletown, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut' Application January 23, 1950, Serial No. 140,005

This invention relates to improvements in what is known as ladder tape or Venetian blind tape or webbing, which is primarily employed for supporting the slats of 'so-called Venetian blinds and the like, and which comprises a pair of spaced-apart front and back main tapes between which extends transverse textile material constituting the rungs or ladders.

One object of this invention is to provide an improved ladder tape which can have the opposite outside faces of the main tapes woven of strands of different colors, and canvhave the ladder-warp strands which are in the ladders, interwoven with weft strands or picks of the main tapes in such manner as to be concealed from the opposite outside faces of the main tapes, thus permitting the ladder warps to be of any desired color or colors, since they will be concealed entirely from the opposite outside faces of the main tapes.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved ladder tape which can have the ladder warps of the ladders interwoven with the n'iain tapes without producing any change in the weave-appearance at the opposite outside faces of the main tapes.

Other objects and advantages will appear to those skilled in the art from the following, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the description and claims, the Various parts and steps are identified by specific terms for convenience, but they are intended to be as generic in theirapplication as the prior art will permit.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of the present disclosure, in which certain ways of carrying out theinvention are shown for illustrative purposes:

Fig. 1 is an edge view of a fragment of a ladder tape made in accordance with .the 'present inthe area 3 of Fig. 'I is an enlarged schematic view of the 5 area 'I of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a view similarto construction; and

Fig- 9 isa sectional view on line S-"Si'of Fig. 8. Referring to Figs. 1- to 7 4of the drawings show- Fig. '7, vof a modifie-d 9 Claims. (Ci. 139-384) ing the particular form of the invention chosen f or illustration therein., the ladder tape I0 includes two main or vbody-tapes II and I 2 con nected together by ladders or rungs I3. One of the main tapes such, for example, as II may-be referred to as the front o1 face main tape and the other main tape I2 may be referred to as the back .or rear main tape. Each ladder I3 in ter connects the main tapes II and I2 by being connectedto the main tapes by being woven thereto at what may be refered to as areas-of-junction I4.

Each of the-main tapes II and I2 lis formed by having warp strands I5 extending throughout the length of the main tapes and interwoven with weft picks of a weft strand I 6.

The type of weave employed along those longitudinal portions of each of the main tapes `which do not contain any areas-of-junction, may be anything desired. But the areas-of-junction, and preferably the entire longitudinal portions containing the areas-of-junction, are wovenby having each main-tape Warp strand I5 woven so as to float o r extend over two and under two weft picks vof the weft strands I6. The main-tape warp strands are woven as single or individual strands, as distinguished from groups of two or more, and they extend on the outer face of the main tape over two picks, and then underl two picks, and then extend as repeats of over two and under two along the length of the main tape, and with the corresponding woven portions of each of three successive adjacent main-tape lwarp strands, in one'direction widthwise of the areaof-junction,v being successively advanced one pick, andthen being repeated insaid onerdirec tion widthwise of the main tape, that is, each repeat of three corresponding Woven parts of each three successive adjacent warp strands start their repeat at the same weft-pick. And, as I amprimarily concerned with the weave of the present construction in the areas-of-junction, since the ladder-warp strands are to be connected to the main tapes at these locations, I will now give a more detailed explanation of the weave in an area-of-junction. v

Thus, referring to Figs. 7, 5 and 3, the three main-tape warp strands I5a, I 5b and I5c form o ne group of three warp strands, and then the next group of three warp strands I5d, I5e and I5J form the next group or repeat of three warp strands. And, of course, each of these groups of warp strands, not only in each area-of-junctin. but preferablyalso throughout the length of the tape, formsa repeat in groupsfof three warp strands, the corresponding parts of each repeat of three successive adjacent main-tape warp strands, in one direction widthwise of the areaof-junction, as for example, upward as regards the showing of Fig. 7, begins its repeat at the same weft pick Ia of the weft strand I6. Thus, as we are looking at the outer face of the main tape II in Fig. 7, the main-tape warp strand I5a floats or extends over the two weft picks I 6a and IIib, then passes down under the two weft picks I6c and I6d and then again floats or extends over the top of the weft picks I6e and I6f, and keeps repeating in this manner throughout the length of the tape. And, similarly, the nextadjacent main-tape warp strand I5b begins its floating or extending over picks, advanced one pick, so that its corresponding floating point extends over the two picks IEb and IEc and thereafter, similarly, under the next two picks and over the following two picks, and so on throughout the length of the tape. And likewise as concerns the third warp strand I5c, which completes this group of three warp strands. And, similarly, as concerns the next repeat group of the warp strands I5d, I5e and I5f, and so on for the full width of the area-of-junction.

Each ladder I3 has a plurality of ladder warps, v

as most clearly shown in Fig. 3, of which the particular ladder warps I3a, I3b, I3c and I3d will be referred to. The ladder-warp strand I3a is looped over the weft pick `I Bb at the location I 3aI in Fig. 7, centrally beneath the two float-portions of Warp strands I5a and I5b where they extend over the weft pick IGb, and then this same ladderwarp strand I3a floats along beneath al1 of the weft picks until it comes to the weft pick ISf,

whereupon it is next looped over this weft pick I 6i at the location I3a2 centrally beneath the two main-tape warp strands I5a and I5b at this location, and so on throughout the length of the woven-in parts of the ladder warps in the areaof-juncton. Then, the next-adjacent ladderwarp strand I3b is similarly looped over the weft pick IBc centrally beneath the two adjacent warp strands I5b and I5c at the location I3bI, and extends along freely until it is next looped over the weft pick I 6g at the location I3b2. And in similar fashion, the ladder warps I 3c and 13d are respectively looped over the weft picks I6b, IGJ,

and I6c, |69 at the respective locations I3cI..

I3c2, and I3dI, I3de. And similarly for all of the rest of the ladder-warp strands, and for the rest of their looped-over locations in the remainder of the area-of-junction (Fig. 3).

Even where the ladder warps are of the same color as the main-tape warps of the main tape with which they are interwoven, it is desirable that the ladder warps shall not show through to the outer surface of the main tape, as it tends to interrupt the perfection of the weave pattern formed by the main-tape warps in the area-ofjunction, and this becomes even more important when the ladder warps 'are of a ditferent color from the main-tape warps of the main tape with which they are interwoven.

In the case where the ladder warps are of one color and the main-tape vwarps are of another color, even though a weave be used which tends to conceal a large percentage of the looped-in or woven-in locations of the ladder warps, when the tape is viewed from the outer face, owing to the unavoidable I ninor variations which occur during the weavingoperation, ordinarilyjthere are many placesfthroughout thelength of a main tape where parts of the differently-colored ladder warps distinctly show through the outer face of the main tape, with its consequent objection. I have discovered, however, a type of Weave construction ,tvhat provides a new relationship which completely lovercomes this showing-through of the ladder warps.

This new` relationship involves several factors of importance. Thus, it will be noted from Fig. 7, that on the upper surface or" the main tape over the area-of-junction, the portions of the floats of all of the main-tape warps between the locations of weft picks Ib and IBc, are pressed together in side-by-side contact with one another. And between the picks I6a and Iaa, and between the picks I6d and ISe, portions of all of the maintape warps are also pressed together in side-byside contact with one another. Thus, the group of three side-by-side warp floats of the main-tape warps I5a, I5b and Ic in the region between picks Iaa and IEe, are held in close side-by-side contact at the locations I3aI and I3bI, to thus completely cover the ladder tape portions I3a and I3b. And, of course, the same perfect coverage of ladder warps is provided by all the other repeat groups of three warp oats in the area-ofjunction. Also, it will be noted that out of every group of three main-tape warps that pass the pick ISb, two out of the three pass over the top of thepick, and only one passes beneath the pick. And it `will be noted from Fig. 7 that as concerns each of the other picks I 6c, If and I 6g, the same two out of three main tape warp relationship also exists, with the same result of perfect coverage of the ladder warps connected to the main tape.

In the modified construction illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, which respectively correspond to Figs. 7 and 5 illustrating the first form of the invention, the main-tape warps I'I are woven with the weft I8 by a weave that is very similar to the weave shown in Fig. '7, except that instead of employing the weave of Fig. '7 in which each warp goes over two and under two, the weave of Figs. 8 and 9 has each main-tape Warp going over two and under one, but repeating transversely of the tape at each three main-tape warps just the same as in the case of the repeats shown in Fig. 7. Thus, beginning with the weft pick I8a, each of the three successive adjacent warp strands IIa, I'Ib and Ic have this form of over-two-under-one weave with each of three successive adjacent warp strands being advanced one pick, and then the next three warp strands I'Id, IIe an-d IIf form the next repeat group, beginning, of course, at the same weft pick I8a. And similarly to the construction shown in Fig. 7, the ladder warp I9a is looped over the weft pick I8b centrally beneath the two adjacent warp floats of the main-tape warps I'Ia and I'lb at I9aI. And then the ladder warp ISa extends along underneath the weft picks I8c and I8d, and then is next looped over the pick IBe at I9a2, centrally beneath the two adjacent warp floats thereover of the main-tape warps IIa and I'Ib. And, in similar manner, other ladder warps are respectively looped over weft picks at the locations indicated at I9bI, I9b2; I9cI, |902; and ISdI, I9'd2, etc. The mode of action giving perfect coverage of the ladder warps with this over-two-under-one weave, is very similar to that of the preceding described over-two-under-two weave.

The important characteristic of the weave that results in this perfect coverage, is that the maintape warp strands are woven as singles, over two picks, and, under two picks or under one pick, each of three adjacent warps being successively advanced onepick, and repeated in such 'groups of three warps.

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in `all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

Iclaiin:

1. A ladder tape including: two main tapes, and ladders interconnecting said main tapes at areasof-junction with said main tapes; each said main tape in each said area-of-junction having maintape warp strands interwoven with weft picks by a weave in which the warp strands extend as singles on the outer face of the main tape over two weft picks, and then under at least one but not more than two weft picks, and then extend in like repeats along the length of the area-ofjunction, and with the corresponding woven parts of each of three successive adjacent main-tape warp strands in one direction widthwise of the area-of-junction, being successively advanced one pick, and then being repeated in said one direc tion widthwise of the area-of-junction to cause portions of the floats of all of the main-tape warp strands at the outer face of each main tape and between two successive weft-picks, to be pressed together in side-by-side contact with one another throughout the width of the area-ofjunction and at a plurality of locations longitudinally of the area-of-junction; and each ladder having ladder warp strands, each of a plurality of saidladder warp strands being looped over one of said two successive weft-picks beneath the space occupied by two adjacent main-tape warp strands which extend over one of said two successive weft-picks, at a number of pick locations longitudinally of the area-of-junction.

2. A ladder tape including: two main tapes, and ladders interconnecting said main tapes at areas-of-junction with said main tapes; each said main tape in each said area-of-junction having main-tape warp strands interwoven with weft picks by a weave in which the warp strands extend as singles on the outer face of the main tape over two weft picks, and then under at least one but not more than two weft picks, and then extend in like repeats along the length of the area-of-junction, and with the corresponding woven parts of each of three successive adjacent main-tape warp strands in one direction widthwise of the area-of-junction, being successively advanced one pick, and then being repeated in said one direction widthwise of the area-of-junction to cause portions of the oats of all of the main-tape warp strands at the outer face of each main tape and between two successive weft-picks, to be pressed together in side-by-side contact with one another throughout the width of the area-ofjunction and at a plurality of locations longitudinally of the area-of-junction; and each ladder having ladder warp strands, each of a plurality of said ladder warp strands being looped over each of said two successive weft-picks beneath the space occupied by two adjacent main-tape warp strands which extend over one of said two successive weft-picksat a number of pick locations longitudinally of the area-of-junction.

3. A ladder tape including: two main tapes, and ladders interconnecting said main tapes at areasof-junction with said main tapes; each said main tape in each said area-of-junction having maintape warp strands interwqvenV with weft picks by a weave in which the warp strands extend as singles on the outer face of the main tape over two weft picks, and then under two weft picks, and then extend in like repeats along the length of the area-of-junction, and with the corresponding woven parts of each of three successive adjacentrmain-tape warp strands in one direction widthwise of the area-of-junction, being successively advanced one pick, and then being repeated in said one direction widthwise of the area-of-juncton to cause portions of the floats of all of the main-tape warp strands at the outer face of each main tape and between two successive weft-picks, to be pressed together in side-byside contact with one another throughout the width of the area-of-junction and at a plurality of locations longitudinally of the area-of-junction;'and each ladder having ladder warp strands, each of a plurality of said ladder warp strands being looped over one of said two successive weftpicks beneath the space occupied by two adjacent main-tape warp strands which extend over one of said two successive weft-picks, at a number of pick locations longitudinally of the areaof-junction.

4. A ladder tape including: two main tapes. and ladders interconnecting said main tapesvat areas-of-junction with said main tapes; each said main tape in each said area-ofvjunction having main-tape Warp strands interwoven with weft picks by a weave in which the warp strands extend as singles on the outer face of the main tape over two weft picks, and then under two weft picks, and then extend in like repeats along the length of the area-of-junction, and with the corresponding woven parts of each of three successive adjacent main-tape warp strands in one direction widthwise of the area-of-junction, being successively advanced one pick, and then being repeated in said one direction widthwise of the area-of-junction to cause portions of the oats of all of the main-tape warp strands 'at the outer face of each main tape and between two successive weft-picks, to be pressed together in sideby-side contact with one another throughout the width of the areaofjunction and at a plurality of locations longitudinally of the area-oi-junction; and each ladder having ladder warp strands, each of a plurality of said ladder warp strands being looped over each of said two successive weft-picks beneath the space occupied by two adjacent main-tape warp strands which extend over one of said two successive weft-picks, at a number of pick locations longitudinally of the area-of-junction.

5. A ladder tape including: two main tapes, and ladders interconnecting said main tapes at areas-of-junction with said main tapes; each said `main tape in each said area-of-junction having main-tape warp strands interwoven with weft picks by a weave in which the warp strands extend as singles on the outer face of the main tape over two weft picks, and then under one weft pick, and then extend in like repeats along the length of the area-of-junction, and with the corresponding woven parts of each of three successive adjacent main-tape warp strands in one direction widthwise of the area-of-junction, being successively advanced one pick, and then being repeated in said one direction widthwise of the area-of-junction to cause portions of the floats of all of the main-tape warp strands at the outer face of each main tape and between two successive weft-picks, to be pressed together in side-by-side contact with one another throughout the width of the area-of-junction and at a plurality of locations longitudinally of the areafv of-junction; and each ladder having'ladder warp strands, each of a plurality of said ladder warp strands being looped over one of said two successive weft-picks beneath the space occupied by two adjacent main-tape warp strands which extend over one of said two successive weft-picks, at a number of pick locations longitudinally of the area-of-junction. V

6. A ladder tape including: two main tapes, and ladders interconnecting said main tapes at areas-of -junction with said main tapes; each said main tape in each said area-of-junction having main-tape warp strands interwoven with weft picks by a weave in which the warp strands extend as singles on the outer face of the main tape over two weft picksy and then under one weft pick, and then extend in like repeats along the length of the areaeo-juncticn, and with the corresponding woven parts of each of three successive ad-l jacent main-tape warp strands in one direction widthwise of the area-of-junction, being successively advanced one pick, and then being repeated in said one direction widthwise of the area-of junction to cause portions of the floats of all of the main-tape warp strands at the outer face of each main tape and between two successive weftpicks, to be pressed together in side-by-side contact with one another throughout the' width of the area-of-junction and at a plurality of locations longitudinally of the area-of-junction; and each ladder having ladder warp strands, each of a plurality of said ladder warp strands being looped over each of said two successive weft-picks beneath the space occupied by two adjacent main-tape warp strands which extend over one of said two successive weft-picks, at a number of pick locations longitudinally of the area-fjunction.

7. A ladder tape including: two main tapes, and ladders interconnecting said ina-in tapes at areasof-junction with said main tapes; one said main tape in each of its areas-of -junction having maintape warp strands interwoven with weft picks by a weave in which the warp strands extend as singles on the outer face of the main tape over two weft picks, and then under at least one but not more than two weft picks, and then extend in like repeats along the length of the area-of-junction, and with the corresponding woven parts of each of three successive adjacent main-tape warp strands in one direction widthwise of the area-ofjunction, being successively advanced one pick, and then being repeated in said one direction widthwise of the area-of-junction to cause portions of the lloats of all of the main-tape warp strands at the outer face of the main tape and between two successive weft-picks, to be pressed together in side-by-side contact with one another throughout the width of the area-of-junction and at a plurality of locations longitudinally of the area-of-junction; and each ladder having ladder warp strands, each of a plurality of said ladder warp strands being looped over one of said two successive weft-picks beneath the space occupied by two adjacent main-tape warp strands which extend over one of said two successive weft-picks, at a number of pick locations longitudinally of the area-of-junction.

8. A-ladder tape including: two main tapes, and ladders interconnecting said main tapes at areasof-junction with said main tapes; one said main tape in each of its areas-of-junction having main-tape warp strands interwoven with weft picks by a weave in which the warp strands eX- tend as singles on the outer face of the main tape over two weft picks, and then under at least one but not more than two weft picks, and then extend in like repeats along the length of the areaof-junction, and with the corresponding woven parts of each of three successive adjacent maintape warp strands in one direction widthwise of the area-of-junction, being successively advanced one pick, and then being repeated in said one direction widthwise of the area-of-junction to cause portions'oi the floats of all of the main-tape warp strands at the outer face of the main tape and between two successive weft-picks, to be pressed together in side-by-side contact with one another throughout the width of the area-of-junction and at a plurality or locations longitudinally of the area-of-junction; and each ladder having ladder warp strands, each of a plurality of said ladder warp strands being looped over each of said two successive weft-picks beneath the space occupied by two adjacent main-tape warp strands which extend over one of said two successive weft-picks. at a number of pick locations longitudinally of the area-of-junction.

9. A ladder tape including: two main tapes, and ladders interconnecting said main tapes at areasof-junction with said main tapes; one said main tape in each of its areas-of-junction having main-tape warp strands interwoven with weft picks by a weave in which the warp strands ex tend as singles on the outer face of the maintape over two weft picks, and then under two weft picks, and then extend in like repeats along the length of the area-of-junction, and with the corresponding woven parts of each of three successive adjacent main-tape warp strands in one direction widthwise of the area-of-junction, being successively advanced one pick, and then being repeated in said one direction widthwise of the area-of-junction to cause portions of the floats of all of the main-tape warp strands at the outer face of the main tape and between two successive weft-picks, to be pressed together in side-by-side contact With one another throughout the width of the area-of-juncton and at a plurality of locations longitudinally of the area-of-junction; and each ladder having ladder warp strands, each of a plurality of said ladder warp strands being looped over each of said two successive weft-picks beneath the space occupied by two adjacent maintape warp strands which extend over one of said two successive weft-picks, at a number of pick locations longitudinally of the area-of-junction.

LAWRENCE J. RASERO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the nle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Mar. 29, 1938 

